


Birthday Gift

by tooyoung_toodumb



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2020-01-25 15:32:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18577345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tooyoung_toodumb/pseuds/tooyoung_toodumb
Summary: Nothing's more beautiful than a special birthday present





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I'm here with this work for our special super Jan for his birthday. Nothing too demanding, just a thing I had in mind in the last few days and wanted to share with you all (I hope it is at least half as beautiful as I had imagined it btw).  
> So it turns out way too long respect the original one so I'll split it in two and I should be able to publish the other by the end of the week.  
> English is not my first language so I'm sorry for any mistake!

 

“I’m pregnant Dele”

“You’re what?!” the boy almost lost his balance on the swing “And how did Jan react?”

“He doesn’t know yet, I don’t know how to tell him”

“Well just tell him” he shrugs.

“Thanks Del, you can give very useful advices” she rolls her eyes.

“Hey! What I’m trying to say is I know Jan and he won’t run away from this. He loves you”

“But we just starting dating and a baby changes everything”

“You’re talking about the same guy that wanted to marry you after the second date Cloe”

“What?”

“Okay, maybe I shouldn't have said it”

“Go on now”

“He was always around Eric trying to sense when you’d be back in town and since you’re together he is turned into a fifteen year old boy struggling with his first crush… don’t tell him I told you, please” she laughs shaking her head.

“I’m so worried Del, I mean and it has already been difficult tell Eric we were together and a baby… how he’ll react? I’ll be alone even before giving birth” the girl brings her hands to her face sighing exasperated and in that moment he get down from the swing and crouches in front of her.

“Firstly, I would say _showing_ to Eric you two were together” he earns a shove and nearly falls to the ground, again. “Second, well yes Eric could not talk to you for some days but what I’m supposed to do here young lady?! Third, you’ll never be alone. Whatever happens you will always have me by your side. And forth, you always worry for the wrong people. Listen to me, are you happy?” she nods without ever thinking about it.

“I mean it’s scaring and I don’t believe I’m ready but-”

“Noone is ready to become a parent. Think about Christian and how he freaked out while now he’s the most adorable dad. And plus you have lots of people around you ready to help”

“Thanks Dele, you’re a good friend”

“Your good best friend?”

“Don’t flatter yourself now”

The two friends remain laughing and joking for another hour. They left when it began to get dark with the boy's promise not to spill anything with anyone -especially with Eric- because otherwise she would have put on the net _how you cried like a baby when you lost at UNO_.

 

 

 

 

“Jan I know is my birthday, but I have something for you” she gives him a medium sized box with a green bow.

It had been another week since the conversation with Dele and she had tried, really. Many times she arrived in front of his house and then turned around before being seen by someone. She was afraid and hid from everyone using work as an excuse. Telling Dele, however, had turned out to be a good choice in the end because he was a pretty good actor and saved her ass several times over the week. So, on her twenty-fourth birthday, she went to Jan's house. The day had brought her a wave of courage that she was determined not to let vanish. As soon as he opened the door, she felt the most horrible person in the world to be worried. How she had only been able to doubt him if despite the week spent avoiding him, he was there ready to embrace her and wish her an happy birthday.

He sits on the arm of the sofa once he has taken the box, trying to imagine what could be inside it. It isn't heavy and makes no noise if it is shaken, but despite curiosity he doesn't decided to open it. When he is about to untie the ribbon, she interrupts him. She didn't talk much once she entered, and she feels she has to give him at least a little explanation.

"That's why I disappeared this week. Fear prevailed over everything" he takes a deep breath and decide to open it and firstly he stares those little white wool shoes not fully understanding their meaning.

 

_Oh_

“I know we haven’t seen each other for too long but that’s the situation. And I’ll understand if you don’t want to take this responsibility but-” in a moment he is in front of her, kissing her. A delicate kiss full of 'I'm sorry I didn't understand before something was wrong' and ‘damn I’m so in love with you’

"Are you crazy? I would never dream of leaving you to raise a child, our child, alone. I love you and- and god I can't tell you how happy I am right now and how much I love you. A baby! We're about to have a baby" and then it's all a bunch of disconnected sentences, hugs, kisses and sighs of relief from her.

 

"So are you happy?" sitting comfortably on the sofa - Jan with a hand on her still flat stomach  and her with her eyes closed, on his chest to enjoy the beating of his heart - they enjoy the trail of emotions that still envelops them.

“I’m over the moon. Why were you so worried?”

“Because I believed that- that you wouldn’t take it well that’s all”

"This little head of yours works too fancy" he says, tapping her temple with a finger. “Listen to me, I put friendship with one of my best friends at risk and I never regretted it, not even for a second. So why should I leave you alone because you got pregnant? If anything, I should marry you"

She hugs him and whispers 'I'm sorry' at which he responds with a kiss, a kiss that tastes new once he realizes that his girlfriend is pregnant, that he carries his baby.

"We have to tell Eric," she sighs then bringing her head back to his chest.

"What makes you believe that Dele hasn't already spilled it?"

"The fact that he hasn't made a scene yet makes me pretty sure and then excuse you, what do you know about Dele?"

"Nothing, I imagined he knew something about your recent behavior since he was always the one who defended you at training"

"I'm sorry" she sighs. "I'm sorry if I made you worry"

"It’s okay. Just don't disappear like that anymore okay? We are about to become a family, from now on you will be authorized to tell me everything that comes to your mind. Even if it's meaningless to you, okay?"

"All right. I love you"

"I love you too"

 

 

"Do you want a boy or a girl?"

"A little girl, beautiful like you"

"Oow stop" she blushes, unused to Jan's sudden comments.

"Can you imagine, our child wearing the Tottenham kit, your number and the word 'daddy' on it. I think the green kit will be my downfall"

Jan chuckles "Hell and I thought I was the one going too fast"

So they spend the rest of the day planning their future, the house where they would live, the child's bedroom, laughing and joking for everything that was said because _'this child will live with anxiety, we have already chosen college for him practically'_ being interrupted only by her phone which reminded them of the little party organized for her. It was still her birthday after all. Then they left that house happy, with the promise of breaking the news to his brother the next day.

 

 

 

 

 

Telling the boys was simpler than expected. Dele had managed to keep his mouth shut - her threat still imprinted in his mind - so it was a surprise in all respects when the news was given.

"Guys, please stop" Eric said, rolling his eyes. He received the news a few days before. Jan had arranged one of the usual barbecues at his house and while Eric was grilling the meat, he dropped the bomb. In spite of what the two had imagined, Eric had made no scene, indeed he had jumped on Jan to congratulate himself and then he ran into the kitchen to embrace his sister too, leaving a stunned Jan on the grill who almost burned their lunch. Once he had calmed down, Eric had explained that deep down he expected it because they had liked each other for so long that there were only two possible options: a romantic getaway to get married or a baby soon. Then he added ‘Jan is nearing retirement, it's also time for some heir’.  
Cloe swore she saw tears when he returned to his spot, but he easily blamed it on the barbecue smoke.

"He started it," she exclaims, wiping her tears. Harry Winks couldn't help himself, he was happy for his friend who could see being over the moon for the news. Not that he hadn't cried at the same news given to him by his other teammates, only that this time he hadn't been able to hide and, well everyone knew by now that Cloe, as soon as she saw someone crying, cried by osmosis so in a short time the dressing room had become the set of a Greek Roman tragedy of which the two, seated on a bench, were the protagonists in each other's arms.

"It is not true" the brown defends himself by disguising the broken voice with a cough.

"I'm pregnant, don't contradict me" she replies and immediately the atmosphere lightens with everyone's laughter.

"What's happening in here?" the coach pushes his way through the crowd of players and seeing his number 8 in those conditions he exclaims "Oh no who's pregnant now?!" followed by another general laugh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I swear if Jan turns around to look at me again, I'll kill him" she mutters to the girl next to her as she pretends to smile and greet the guy who supposedly should warm up for the game.

"Relax hun, he's just over excited and worried at the same time. Do you remember how Harry was?”

"Oh please don't remind me of it, I felt bad for you for all those attentions. If Jan were to ever get to that level, no offense, but he wouldn't get to the delivery" Kate chuckles.

"Wait until you get to the last few months then, when the desire of him will be so much that you will come to beg him to give you this attention and more" a perverse sneer on her face.

"Kate!" she looks around to see if she has caught someone's attention. Her cheeks red.

"Is it hard to be a mother?"

"It's a full-time job. Some days are harder than others, but when they look at you with those big eyes full of curiosity and they smile at you it's really worth it"

"I can't wait to hold mine in my arms"

"By the way male or female?"

"We don't know yet, too shy to show to us. We hope to find out next week"

"Show yourself, Aunt Kate can't wait to spoil you"

 

 

At the end of the game, as usual, the two get up to go to their boyfriends. They wait a few to walk more peacefully and begin to go down the stairs. Cloe raises his head meeting Jan's gaze and smiles at him, happy for the victory the team has brought home, when a shove makes her lose her balance. Her eyes widened and her first thought goes to the child. She tries to protect it as best she can, but in an instant she is at the end of the stairs. The darkness surrounding her and a strong pain in her whole body.

 

 

 

 

 

_She wakes up and immediately moans, knows that they have done her anesthesia and hates feeling so numb._

_"Eric" immediately looks for his brother, she knows he is there. She tries also to open her eyes, but the light is too strong and closes them immediately. She feels pain at her stomach and she hopes there won't be a scar, although they explained very well that they don’t cut anymore for these surgery._

_"I'm here, darling" she complains about the nickname, which makes Eric smile. She always hated them, but her siblings always said that once she met the right person she would change her mind._

_"You don't know how good it is not to be in that bed for once" he chuckles._

_"Shut up" she murmurs trying not to laugh, then sighing "I'm sleepy"_

_"Sleep, don't worry. I'm here" and so, feeling his brother's grasp against her hand, she lets herself go to sleep again._

_It's almost six hours, between the wait before and during the surgery and the anticipation of her awakening, that Eric doesn't sleep. Dele tried to make him lie down but he wouldn't hear. He stands there, attached to his sister's bed, his hand clasped in hers and his eyes swollen with sleep - a sign that he would have collapsed shortly. And perhaps because he knows he has reached the limit, he begins to tell the boy the reason for his gesture. He tells him about Cloe's problems in adapting to new places; he tells him that when they moved to Portugal she didn't sleep for days because that wasn't her bed, that wasn't her home and she was afraid to loosen up as if lowering her guard someone could hurt her. And he tells him how he started making her sleep with him, discovering that she just needed someone at her side, someone she trusted, to actually realize that nobody would hurt her. She just needed security, but one of those made up of non-word gestures._

 

 

 

 

 

When she wakes up she has a sense of deja vu. She's at the hospital, that's for sure. She feels rather dizzy, like when once back from the sea, you lie down on the bed but you always have the feeling of being washed away. She tries to open  her eyes, the only light source comes from the window. It isn't very strong in intensity being also protected by a curtain, but it is enough to make her moans.

"Eric" she sighs seeing her brother sitting next to her intent on typing something on the phone "Have I been drugged?"

In response she hears a chuckle "No, you only have a slight concussion" then he approaches her and carefully strokes her head, leaving a kiss on her forehead.

"How do you feel?"

"My head is in the clouds and- and my wrist hurts and I just want to rest"

"Sleep then, I'll keep you company"

"No, no I- Jan" she shakes her head, but the gesture causes her a sense of sudden nausea and is forced to take a deep breath to calm herself.

"Easy, easy. Breathe. I sent Jan home to rest, you would fall asleep anyway before he arrived"

"The baby, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" she murmurs disconnectedly before fatigue takes over again.

Eric looks at her. He always liked watching her sleep. When he was little he spent hours staring at her and she always ended up beating him because, feeling observed, she always woke up. He liked it because it was the only time she seemed carefree and without any problem to torture her. And he is glad he's alone in that room, at that moment, because his eyes fill with tears. How could such a thing have happened to her? Why? She is the sweetest and most helpful girl in the world and yet she must always suffer more than anyone.  
When he saw her fall off those stairs, he was sure his heart had stopped beating. Then driven by some kind of force, he had managed to run to her with Jan and managed to hold him back while their medical staff promptly took action to limit the damage as much as possible. He had managed to remain impassive until then, embracing Jan when the doctor had given him the news. He had managed to remain impassive when he called his mother and the rest of the family to warn them. But when she opened her eyes his world had collapsed and he almost burst into tears in front of her. It wasn't fair. They would have been a hell of good parents and he himself couldn't wait to become uncle again. It was unfair for anyone, for her and for Jan first of all. And he would have liked to see her always asleep if this meant not to let her face the difficult days that inevitably she would have had to face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before being sent home with the promise of being called to the slightest change, Jan had informed Eric that he would have liked to give him the news to Cloe and not an ordinary stranger and callous doctor. Eric had immediately reassured him, agreeing with him, he wouldn’t let anyone get close to her if she woke up before his arrival.  
Needless to say, he had gone home but the silence that had welcomed him had almost killed him. He hadn't rested at all, every time he tried to close his eyes he saw her smiling at him and after a blink the fall from those damn stairs. So he had only let that infinite time pass by preparing a bag with clothes for her and taking a shower. There he had lingered a little longer, he knew that once in the hospital he would have to use all his strength and support to be near his girlfriend.

He hadn't lasted more than five minutes after getting out of the shower, he had put on his jacket and was busy taking the house keys when he received a message from Eric telling him that Cloe had woken up and asked for him. Then, seize the opportunity, he got into the car and headed for the hospital, arriving half an hour later.  
Eric had intercepted it already at the end of the corridor, but he had waited for him to come near the door to go out and talk to him.

"How is she?"

"She was awake for a while, she was groggy for the concussion" there was no need to ask for more. "She knows. She looked for you and murmured a sorry before going back to sleep" the boy sighed lowering his head.

"Is she still asleep?"

"Yes" there were many things he wanted to tell him, but at that moment they all seemed like catchphrases and he made sure to keep his mouth shut. What he did instead was hug him because he knew it would be much more appreciated. "I'll leave you alone, okay? You have a lot to deal with"

"Thanks Eric. I’ll keep you posted”

He stood there looking at Eric until he turned the corner and was no longer in his sight. Then he sighed and entered the room. He sat on the white plastic chair, took her hand and started caressing it absently. He could never have imagined that morning when he woke up, as he watched her sleep exactly as she was doing at that moment, that all that mess would happen.

"Jan", absorbed in his thoughts, he hadn’t noticed that she had woken up and, looking up, he came face to face with those green eyes that had bewitched him years before.

"Hey" with the other free hand he stroked her cheek, removing a strand of hair from her face. He smiled slightly at her and she smiled back, but it only lasted a few seconds as her eyes darkened and watered.

"I'm sorry" she muttered and he immediately silenced her with a kiss, wiping a single tear from her that manage to escape.

 

In that room, that evening, neither of them could sleep until late at night, exhausted by all the emotions they had felt that day. They remained silent, embracing each other, with their thoughts torturing them. And maybe it was the wrong thing to do on those occasions, but neither of them felt too talkative. The presence of one was enough for the other, no useless words of comfort for the loss of their _daughter_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it but I fell in love with my own characters. I don't want to let them go, that's why it ends how it ends...  
> I'm sorry for the very very long chapter but I feel like every single part I wrote HAD TO be in there so enjoy it!

 

Over time the relationship between the two had changed slightly.

After that hard blow, Jan had put his workouts on hold for a few weeks to spend time with Cloe. There was no place where the two didn't show up together, whether it was the supermarket to do the shopping or just to open the front door when someone went to visit them. They were inseparable, they needed to feel the presence of one another in order not to collapse. Christmas and New Year had been spent without making a big deal that year, not feeling at all in a festive atmosphere and everyone understood.

But since Jan had returned to training, she had isolated herself from everything and everyone. She continued to go out and work and lead her life as she had done up to that point, but she was present only with the body. Because it was him who at that time had held her close when she burst out crying for no precise reason, it was him who urged her to have a conversation with their friends when she cared nothing but to be silent in the arms, he was her anchor.

And she might has seemed like a tool, but she felt betrayed when she watched the door closes as Jan went out that morning. As if he was returning to live his life slowly, while she stood still in that void that was her life at that moment.

And so she had waited for an away game in mid-January, scribbled an excuse on a piece of paper and left that house as the worst thief. And Eric had found her in his bed when he returned home, asleep exhausted with tears, and he had her close to him without saying a word.

"Is your sister at home?" Jan had suppressed the urgency he had had of running to Eric's house once he found that note and had given her a few days to be with him, hoping that spending time with her brother could make her open and make her feel better. But after two and a half days he had given up and knocked on that door.

"You could even pretend to come and see me" the boy rolls his eyes playfully.

"Sorry Eric, but I really need to talk to her right now"

"I know. I leave you alone then"

"Thank you"

"Jan" he stops by the stairs, but doesn't turn "I want my Cloe back"

"Me too" he murmurs once the door is closed.

He had gone straight to her room, but found it empty. He also appears in Eric's, but that is empty too. If he called her, he was ready to swear that she would run off to avoid having a confrontation with him, so he kept on searching for her silently. Not even dogs are around so he decides to try in the back garden. Those two never go there if they can be pampered at home.

And actually he finds her there, in the pool where Eric has strictly forbidden him to enter when he's around because _one thing is knowing that you are having sex with my sister, one thing is to see it_ making him uncomfortable, despite all the years of friendship, because he was talking about his sister after all.

She floats in the water, enjoying the tranquility of the moment. And, he is not sure, but she also seems to have a smile on her face. So he decides to leave her there and, without making any noise, returns to the house heading into the kitchen where he serves himself a glass of water.

 

 

Cloe is in her bubble of relaxation when the sudden barking of one of the two dogs makes her jump. Telling them to go to hell so scared, she comes out of the water and returns home wearing a bathrobe. It is one of those in almost transparent silk that she wears only to please Eric. If she drips around the house, she knows how his brother can be. The day is particularly hot and she decides to stop in the kitchen to get something fresh before going up to her room to change. She enters the room tying the hair, the door of the refrigerator open.

"Eric would you take me-" but the boy who sticks out his head is not his brother "Jan! What are you doing here and where is Eric?"

"He's out"

"Ok. What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? You left me, you said that we would have overcome it together and you left me" the boy goes straight to the point, not need of useless mince words.

"What else should I have done? The situation had become unbearable, it was better to go home than to stay with you"

"Your home is with me! You're behaving exactly like months ago. Running away from problems won't help you solve them, and I told you already you can count on me. So I don't get it, what do you miss?"

"You! I miss you!"

"I-" he is taken aback, didn't expect such an answer "I have to train if I want to play. And it seems to me that it was you who pushed me to return to the field after the-"

“Don’t. Don’t you dare say it”

"Why? That's what happened Cloe, we had an abortion. See, I said it and nobody died"

"Our little girl does"

There is a moment of silence. Jan mentally curses himself and would like to inflict the worst of punishments when he sees tears forming in her eyes, maybe it has already happened though. He approaches her, but she takes a step back.

"Please go”

"No"

"Jan" she begs him.

"No, I'm not leaving. I want to resolve this situation once and for all and if I go out of that door now I know for sure nothing will be the same as before"

"It has already happened Jan"

"But we can solve everything. I miss you Cloe"

"I miss you too"

"So why does it all have to be so difficult?" Jan tries to get closer again and she doesn't seem to notice, or if she does she doesn't say anything.

"It's not even training the problem, I did it even before and we were just fine. So what is it?"

"You're the problem! You don't look at me like you used to do before"

"It's not true"

"Yes, it is. I'm here in front of you, half-naked and you haven't looked down on my body once. You haven't touched me in weeks. Do I really disgust you so much?"

"You're crazy"

"Oh yeah su-" she's interrupted by him who, approaching suddenly, traps her at the kitchen counter. An electric discharge runs down her back, a spark in his eyes.

"You're crazy if you think I didn't notice. If you think I didn't notice your new red lace outfit, that I didn't notice how you leave the bathroom door open so I can see you lying comfortably in bed, that I don't have the desire to rip you off this costume since I saw you"

"Then why don't you do it?" she murmurs exhausted on the edge of tears.

"I tried, but every time I tried to get close like that you stiffen. So I thought I'd give you some space, that you wasn't ready yet"

"Really? I spent the last two weeks practically throwing at you, I looked like a desperate"

"And I spent them doing long cold showers"

"God. We are bad" they chuckle kissing each other.

And they kiss, kiss and keep kissing. At that point she is on the counter, he between her legs that don't waste time weaving around his waist. That bathrobe soon gone, on the ground next to his feet. The position makes it easy to transport her to her room where something happens, the start of something new. A silent agreement to leave the past behind and start living in the present to see what the future holds for them.

 

 

"What do you say if I take you out to dinner tonight?" Jan asks, absentmindedly passing a finger on her bare back, creating goosebumps.

"How about you and me instead, your house and that little red outfit that you enjoyed so much"

"You tempt me little girl"

And it is while they laugh and kiss for the thousandth time they hear the door open and Eric announce his return. They widen their eyes and jump off the bed in search of their clothes so as not to be completely naked in front of the landlord. And Eric pretends not to see Jan’s shirt upside down when they hurry down the stairs, or the blush on their cheeks. Just a pure smile on his face sensing that something has changed for the better than only a few hours before. And he has the confirmation when inviting his friend to stay for dinner, the two look at each other accomplices while he declines politely _sorry Eric, tonight I take her out to dinner._

 

 

 

 

Jan knows what to do to get a fresh start. And that's exactly what he does that morning right after taking Cloe to the office.

He probably should have noticed it before, just as he should have made sure it was okay. Instead they had done everything mechanically. Immediately after discovering that she was pregnant, she had started to keep extra clothes that had reduced his storage space in his closet, they had taken for granted that one of the guest rooms -the one closest to the master one- would become the room of the their child. But she had continued to refer to that as _his house_ when for him had already been _their home_ since the first time she had stayed there and in the morning they had breakfast together in that kitchen.

And they probably would have back at the beginning if he had put her in front of the fait accompli, if he had put the keys to a new house in her hands. No, it's something they have to do together. He wants her to choose it, to feel it hers, theirs. No more Eric’s or Jan’s.

 

So that afternoon he takes her around the city streets. She enjoys that sunny day unaware of what her boyfriend's complicated mind had planned.

"Clo?" he calls, she mutters in response, turning her head towards him. "What do you think of that house?" he indicates a white house on the other side of the street very pretty, with a finger. From the outside you can see that it has at least two floors, a nice driveway and a porch swing.

"It's pretty, but why do you ask?"

"Just pretty? Because if you want we can come in and take a look"

"Jan, what-"

"Listen, I realized something these days. You need a home"

"I already have a house" she interrupts him.

"Your home. One in which to choose the furniture and the color of the walls. Being able to say ‘I'm sorry, I have to go home. I have guests’ Not where the guest is you. So if you want, I'll be your real estate agent for today"

"Ok, but on one condition"

"Shoot"

"You will move with me"

"Honey I'm always included in the package"

She laughs and then kisses him, how can she not. "Shall we go in?" and she nods super excited.

So they cross the street and climb the three steps that take them to the porch. Crossing the red door you immediately have the view of a staircase leading to the upper floor. On the ground floor there is the living room on the left and the kitchen on the right. Above, on the other hand, there is a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, two empty rooms and a bathroom. All painted in a soft peach color which, however, she immediately thinks of changing. In addition, Jan points out, there is a garden that doesn't overlook the street where they can relax and enjoy the beautiful days.

"But that's not all, we have other houses to see"

"What? But this is already perfect"

"Honey, it's your first house you don't have terms of comparison, it's normal that you like it" he touches her nose with his finger. "Let's take a look at the others, if you like that more than ever it will be yours. I don't know if you know, but the houses don't have legs" she glares at him and he starts running. Laughing they arrive at the other house and something snaps into her. She stops to catch her breath and Jan smiles. It's beautiful from the outside already. There is a small garden filled with colorful flowers, the roof is of a beautiful blue and even there there is a rocking chair. No stairs leading to the entrance though. Once inside, they are greeted by a wide corridor. Kitchen on the right with a window overlooking the garden, immense. If that little piece of land at the entrance had fascinated her, that really lost her. It is immense even more than Eric's, or at least she believes so but she isn’t interested in doing that kind of comparison at the moment. Then there are stairs, a ramp leads to the upper floor while another goes down. Driven by curiosity, she decides to go down first to find herself in front of a large room and immediately think about how it will become Jan and the boys' den. She notices another door and when she opens it  almost screams like a hysterical girl. A pool! An indoor pool. She can't believe it.

"I knew you would have liked it" murmurs Jan, hugging her from behind.

"Then why you didn't bring me directly here"

"Comparison hun, comparison"

"I hate you," she mutters, but kisses him.

They continue their tour upstairs finding a master bedroom with an en-suit bathroom, three fairly spacious rooms, a guest room, a bathroom and a laundry room.

“So what do you think?

"It's-it's perfect! Forget the house with the red door. This is the perfect home for us. And it's not even far from yours so not far from the field"

"But wasn't the one with the red door your favorite?" he teases her.

"Nah I liked the door, we can always paint it" she shrugs. "But here everything is perfect. I already see myself in the kitchen to prepare your favorite cake, in the garden with the boys, to put our children to bed, you in the playroom... and that pool" and Jan smiles clutching her to himself, happy beneath to hear _those_ words from her.

 

 

Later, exhausted by the emotions of the day, the two find themselves in bed.

"I love you and thanks for this day" she murmurs with her head on his chest.

"I love you too" he leaves her a sweet kiss on the side of her head. "Now sleep though, we'll think about our home from tomorrow"

She kiss lightly his chest. "I can't wait"

 

 

 

 

 

 

After four long weeks full of plans, shopping, dust and boxes, the two had finally moved into their new home. Eric almost burst into tears when Cloe showed him his room _for when you come to visit us and I won't let you go in the street at night because, you know, you live very far from here._ They had said goodbye to the old house privately and christened the new one even more privately after greeting all the guys who showed up there for a small welcome party. Despite the early sleepless nights as expected, adapting had been rather simple. Jan had been close to her and she had known how to reward him. The new house had brought their love back to the surface and they had once again become inseparable, always smiling and available to everyone.

"Jan" but it was days that the brown hair man seemed distant, and in fact she receives only a strange murmur in response. "What's wrong with you, may I ask?"

"I- I have something to ask you" he murmurs, concentrating his gaze on any object in that kitchen that is not her face.

"Wait... you're not thinking about any proposal aren't you?"

"No, not right now"

"Then what is it? Come on don't make me worry"

"A charity event was organized and I wanted to ask you to be my plus one. I know you always go with Eric to these events and-”

"When?"

"April 19th"

"We still have a month ahead to find someone to Eric" they laugh. "Was that why you were worried?"

He shakes his head and adds "It's at the stadium"

"Oh" for a moment she looks down. "Well you know, I guess I have to go back there sooner or later" she shrugs.

"Are you sure? I don't want to force you if you're not ready-"

"Jan, I'm sure" she says, making sure to look him straight in the eye.

"Did I ever tell you that I am the luckiest person in the world to have you next to me?"

"Don't you have to go to training?" she replies, already feeling red in the face, not one that easily accepts compliments.

"I go, I go. But you are still strong and beautiful" he steals a kiss and runs to the door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _"SOS perfect outfit"_ is what Kate writes to her a few weeks later.

 _"Kate what are you up for?"_ she types the answer in noticing it's only 6 am.

 _"Evie"_ is the friend's answer. The baby's first teeth were popping up and all she did was cry. Her phone vibrates again. _"What excuse do you have?"_

 _"Still nauseous"_ she answers then report the attention to the dress topic. The two  deciding to go shopping that morning and see if they can find something nice.

 

 

"You have two puffy eyes my friend" is Kate's greeting when she sees her.

"Thank you, I prepared to go out with you" the two look at each other and then burst out laughing. Kate was the person from whom she was unconsciously detached more in her dark period because having her already two little girls, just the thought brought to the surface ugly memories of which she was trying to get rid of. Once things had returned more or less to normality she had once again become Aunty Cloe as ever and had also received a beautiful drawing that she had proudly hung with a magnet on the refrigerator at home.

Starting the search for the perfect dress, the two had gone to their trusted store. It made no sense to waste time in places where they knew they wouldn't be totally satisfied.

"Look Clo, this is in your style" the blonde had found the right dress for her, murmured a _ready for baby number 3_ after trying it and she started helping her friend, as always.

"Arsenal red? Do you want everyone to kill me?” she jokes, when in reality the main problem isn't even the color.

"You're right" she replies and continues her search. "So, are you going to tell me you're pregnant by the end of the day or what?" she asks, continuing to look at clothes, as if she wasn't actually asking for something so important.

"What?"

"Oh come on, as if I haven't noticed it for days now. The fake fever to hide the real reason of the nausea, by the way I have to compliment you for that, the juice at Dele's birthday party and now you're looking at these clothes as one of those fat person that knows will never enter it"

"Nobody knows yet, Kate"

"And I'll keep the secrete, if you tell me how far along are you"

"Three weeks more or less" she smiles.

" _Oh Kate you can't understand the move is killing us_ , my ass"

"Kate" she opens her mouth in shock, more and more convinced that Harry is a saint to put up with her friend. "You saw that pool too, it had to be tried" she adds with a perverse smile. This time it's Kate's turn to gasp.

"You say that in a week it will fit?" the girl continues her tour taking the same model that her friend showed her but of another color. It was one of her favorite models, she fits perfectly in it but she was afraid that something would be seen before the news was revealed to the most important person.

"It will look marvelous on you" she comments after have come around.

 

 

 

 

 

_"It will be his birthday present. Ten days, not a big deal"_

"Fuck" she murmurs, bringing her hands to her face and sighing. She had woken up in the middle of the night and her head immediately brought her back to the conversation she had with Kate only three days before. _Not a big deal_ , the famous last words. It turned out that it was more difficult than she had imagined. As soon as she had discovered it, she had wanted to run to him to tell him, but he was in training in Barcelona with the team and it was certainly not a news she imagined giving him by phone. So she had waited, only to imagine that it wasn't a bad gift so she had organized everything for that April 24th. But now, almost a week before that date, she couldn't stand it anymore. Every time she opened her mouth and looked at him, she had to bite her tongue to avoid screaming at him that he would become a dad and that she would do anything to give birth to their baby that time.

"Clo, are you okay?" Jan's voice startles her, she didn't realize he woke up. The abat jour on Jan's bedside table lights up and she closes her eyes for a second, blinded by the sudden light.

"Yes. Yeah, I'm fine" she murmurs, looking at him and smiling. Those sleepy blue eyes are looking at her for a signal, a sign that tells him it's actually the truth. She kisses him and rests her head on his chest. She sighs and "I'm pregnant" mutters against the fabric of his shirt.

"What?" he murmurs, not understanding the full sentence. Then she raised her head from his chest, looked him straight in the eye and repeated it. His heart starts beating wildly under the hand she had placed on his chest and smiles.

"We're having a baby?" he asks rhetorically. In fact, she doesn't say anything that he attracts her and kisses her with all the passion and joy that his body is full of at that moment.

And if some tears escape their control it isn't possible to know it, too much happiness to take care of other things at that moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day of the gala had arrived. After a lazy morning in bed, with Jan's hand resting on her stomach and hers on his, it was time to get ready. And doing it with Jan around wasn't easy, always there to distract her intentionally or not. When he wasn't looking at her, murmuring when she was beautiful, he dressed himself. And seeing Jan wearing the suit sent her hormones into turmoil more than they already were.

At the stadium she took a deep breath. It was useless to deny it she had thought of it, a lot also, but anyway it wasn't like if they had had to celebrate _in_ the stadium. They had never done it and they certainly wouldn't have started at that time. There were plenty of rooms where they could organize such events anyway.

Kate, in her beautiful white dress and under the arm of the always impeccable Harry Kane, raises her thumb _you look great and you don’t see anything relax_ gesture to which she responds with a smile _he knows there is no longer need to hide now_. Then they approached with their respective partners and greeted each other as if they hadn't seen each other just the day before. Girls, Jan had rolled his eyes jokingly looking at Harry.

 

 

"You’re stunning" her brother whispers, appearing behind her, she couldn't recognize his voice.

"Thanks. You're not bad yourself"

"Here, I brought you some champagne I know how much these nights can bore you"

"Umh thank you, but I can't" she murmurs absently, watching Jan bring his head back and laugh out loud at something just a few feet away from her.

"Are you still taking your meds? Wasn't it just a flu? Do I need to worry? Cloe Bethany D-"

"I'm pregnant"

"You what?" another voice echoes behind her. Well, talking beside the refreshment table didn't seem to have been a good move after all.

"Hi Del" she greets him as if she had just finished talking about the weather and turning around she saw him trying to swallow to not choke and put down the dish that surely was about to fill.

"Did I hear you right?" he asks still incredulously and she nods. "I can't believe it. I can't believe you came to my birthday party and didn't say anything to me" he murmurs before hugging her and she laughs, how stupid can he be?! She feels another pair of arms and recognizes Eric's scent, reaching out to stroke the base of his neck. But she also feels another pair of arms and frowns, wondering who he might be.

"Group hug? To what do we owe the honor?” she laughs as Dele hands him some napkins.

"You will need"

 

 

 

 It was since he had seen her wearing that dress that Jan couldn't wait to go home. They weren't out yet, the evening hadn't even started yet, but all he wanted was to take her there right away. Several times she had glanced at him because he made her blush while putting on make-up or brushing her hair, but he couldn't help it. She was beautiful and he would remember her until he had the opportunity. To avoid not appearing at that event though, he had channeled all his concentration into wearing his suit. Always giving looks to her from the mirror.

The evening was spent in a pleasant way. At a certain point he had moved away from her, he knew she would take the opportunity to break the news to his brother and he wanted to leave her some space. What he had done was drop the bomb to the others instead. And he laughed to tears when Toby had cursed in Belgian nearly choked on champagne.

And he had liked to carry her around and introducing her as his partner, hug her from behind with his hands constantly on her tummy and talk to the guests. But at the end of the night he had hurried to greet everyone, as if he hadn't seen half of the guests the following afternoon on the field, and had driven home. Her hand on his on the gear, a constant smile on both of their faces. And when they returned home he took her bride style, taking her by surprise, and took her to the bedroom.

"My baby, plug your ears. Your dad loves your mom too much to let this dress get wasted"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Baby shower.

Kate had offered to organize one after the gala. She knew it was too early, but she had wanted to get ahead of it _I don't know how it works in your family. But if Eric or someone else thinks to steal my job, they're totally wrong_ "

And she liked the idea of leaving everything in Kate's hands in the end. In short, at the beginning she hadn't shown much enthusiasm mainly for how she had discovered the sex of the child the first time. But after one of the many ultrasounds she had changed her mind. In June, at the ultrasound scan of the fourth month more or less, the couple had received some news. She had often complained to Jan in the past few days about how, since she started showing, her jeans didn’t fit anymore. And many times she had cursed him because _you are the tall one, I have no space in here for the giants_. (Jan had never laughed as hard in his life as in those months, dealing with a pregnant Cloe was proving to be the funniest thing in the world). However, at the ultrasound scan they had discovered that the one they kept referring to as a child were actually two, _babies_. Cloe's relief of not growing a giant baby inside herself was immediately replaced by the shock of the news. Twins. They're having twins. They were in a whirlwind of pure emotions that almost made them reveal the sex not caring about traditions, friends and relatives. But then common sense got the better of it, so they came home with the closed envelope. Kate had found herself ready to take possession of the temptation and hide it until the next two weeks.

Needless to say, even the announcement of the twins had brought many tears and hugs. Eric had taken credit for that in his own way, claiming that it was in the Dier's DNA having twins. And they were proof of this. At her sister's _you and I aren't twins, you idiot_ he had shushed her with a wave of his hand.

 

 

 

Those two weeks of waiting had been hell. Curiosity was eating them alive and they were looking forward to cutting a cake, bursting balloons, opening a box -whatever Kate had in mind to make them do- to find out what the future would hold for them.

Kate rang the bell of the Vertonghen-Dier house at an unreachable time in the morning and had given them ten minutes to get dressed and get into the car where a visibly sleeping Dele and an effectively sleeping Eric were waiting for them, probably looking forward to rejoining with the soft surface of a bed.

"Please kill me next time I agree to do something with her" murmurs Dele as soon as the two settle into the back seats of his car, greeting the blonde on their doorstep with a false smile as she continues to gesticulate.

"Me too" sighs Eric, settling himself better on the seat, perhaps not quite asleep.

"Can we know what you're doing?" Jan looks the most awake of all of them.

"We don't know, she didn't want to say anything because she knows we can't keep our mouth shut"

"She kept us letting us know" adds Eric and the two laugh.

However the morning passes in a hurry -sleeping at Eric's, Jan and Cloe in her old room and the two boys thrown on the couch having refused to climb the stairs- and after getting ready, the taxi driver Dele takes them back to their home at the established time. There are more cars than usual parked on the side of the road so they assume someone has already arrived.

"Come on, let's go before she calls us demanding our head" Eric rushes to get out of the car and ring the bell.

"Three minutes late guys" is the first thing Kate points out to him and she hears Jan giggle beside her.

She leads them directly into the garden and Cloe does everything she can to keep from crying. Tables had been placed in their garden with food and drink. Pink and blue are the dominant colors of the whole scene, from glasses to plates, from balloons to flags. In one corner a table had been placed with the various gifts that their friends had brought while in another there was a long trunk, pink and blue of course, and the desire to rush there and open it had been strong.

Almost all their friends and relatives are there, with their respective companions and children. Cloe had never noticed how many children there were in their gang until she had seen them all together. The first time was a shock and the funny thing was that every time they met there was someone more. Speaking of children, one of them comes running from behind and Jan picks him up as he screams.

"Hey little guy"

"Uncle Jan!" he greets him and then they share a cute handshake.

"Tobias, I told you a thousand times not to run away like that"

"But mommy there is Vicky!" he timidly points to Harry's daughter as a valid excuse to run away.

"Oh I didn't know you were running from your girlfriend buddy, go" jokes Jan and puts him down. The child escapes in two seconds while his father glances at him.

"What?" a small side smile on his face, like someone who knew what was going on.

"He can't have a girlfriend, he’s two"

"But don't fathers usually worry about their daughters?"

"We will do this conversation very soon" says Erik as a threat before mingling with the people there. They laugh, it could be chaotic but it's their family.

 

 

The long awaited moment has arrived. After losing a few hours between food, bets on the unborn and gift scraps, Kate had brought them to that infamous trunk.

"Are you guys ready?" the blonde claps her hands excitedly, phones ready to capture that beautiful moment.

"Go" the two hold each other tight, supporting each other for fear of collapsing from emotion at any moment.

The trunk is opened and immediately balloons that form the word _It’s a boy_ pop up from it. Between the general commotion a new word _But_ appears and shyly little pink balloons begin to rise.

The two hug and kiss, failing yet to realize that in less than four months they will have a boy _and_ a girl. They stay there in the middle of the garden, with the people who continue to film them, muttering sweets _I love you_ that would make even the hardest heart melt. Then through tears, Cloe runs to Kate. She holds her so tightly against her to thank her for everything. Those murmured _thanks_ between sobs don't do justice to what they have just witnessed.

The boys jump on Jan to congratulate him and in a moment he finds himself buried under a bunch of players. When they are taken off him he stays there on the ground, laughing and wiping away the tears that inevitably fell down his cheeks. Happy as he had never been in his life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It’s hot. It is late July and it is already difficult to live with that heat, let alone be pregnant in the summer. Jan sleeps like a baby next to her and she almost regrets waking him up. But she has a terrible craving.

"Jan" murmurs, but he doesn't move an inch.

"Jaaaan" tries again by teasing his cheek and he sighs, reaching out to her. He frowns when he can't find her and squints his eyes.

"What are you doing?" he asks sleepily realizing that she is above him.

"You’re so cute" she couldn't resist. He smiles stroking her belly.

"I want to walk" she complains as bending down until her belly allows it.

He glances at the digital clock on the bedside table and then moans rubbing his eyes. "Couldn't you have cravings like normal people?"

"Look, I can go out without you" she says dismissive, starting to descend from his body.

"Wait... wait" he recovers the few strengths he has and stretches out a hand towards her that happy, immediately grabs it.

"Ten minutes no more, I promise" she tells him when he puts on her shoes, doing it alone impossible for months now.

A promise is a promise and ten minutes later they're back, sitting on the porch of the house.

"Jan?" she receives a disconnected murmur. "Can we choose the names now?" she asks hopefully and he knows that the girl won't sleep peacefully until she has everything under control -she has even already prepared the hospital bag having read that twins can be born preemie- so he nods.

"Do you already have something in mind?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 "Wow Cloe you are huge. How close to the birth are you?"

"Thanks, Mertens, it's always nice to talk to you" replies the girl, jokingly rolling her eyes. More laughter comes from the screen.

They're in a facetime with some guys from the Belgian national team who had heard about Jan's absence and called for updates. The boy had refused the summons to that important commitment for another even more important task, the due date was approaching and he had no intention of losing the birth of his babies.

"Have you already chosen the names?"

"Of course, who are you talking to"

"Can we have a little spoiler?" asks Eden with folded hands. Everyone shudders to know something and Jan nods, signaling that there aren't problems in revealing it.

"Well the boy will have a special name, that's for sure"

"Thorgan?"

"I assure you I love your name Thor, ask Jan, but I won't call my son Thorgan Vertonghen" she says seriously. More laughter is released in the air as the boy shrugs and puts on a fake pout.

“Then how?”

“Didier”

"Wait, you can't call your son like me but you can use your surname as a name?" the Belgian asks shocked.

"It is pronounced _Didiè_ , to the French. And it comes from the Latin Desiderius which means desire” she says proudly.

"I like it" says Eden, smiling after a moment of silence.

"Well it's special, yes" Thorgan belittles the thing with a wave of his hand that everyone laughs at.

"And the little girl?"

"Anna" replies Jan. "Anna Eleanor" and Cloe can swear she saw Toby's eyes watering. Besides, he is one of the few who knows their little angel's name.

"They're nice names guys, and they'll be nice kids I can bet on it"

"With parents like you then"

"Thanks guys" the couple smiles at the screen, hands clinging out of the frame.

Then everyone turns their heads towards the door. "Guys we have to go"

"Bye bye Belgians. If you don’t come to visit us when they are born, I will kill you” and closes the call, leaving everyone else speechless. Jan laughs shaking his head before giving her a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like it. Please feel free to comment, feedbacks will be appreciated. You can also send me your opinion (or hate xD) on Tumblr, I'm nolifeoftheparty


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